Opinions wanted

[sailorthom]

I have a thirty five foot ( Aluminum)boat with a hard dodger. The dodger looks great put requires some difficulty entering and exiting the cabin. I am thinking of raising it three feet. This would allow stand up room more like a doghouse. Would this greatly affect the boats performance? Not as nimble as I use to be. I'm never in a hurry. Thanks

[chrisncate]

Raising it three feet would definitely affect the center of gravity. How much? I don't know. What does the dodger roughly (or exactly) weigh?

[sailorthom]

I estimate the dodger at 50 to 75 lbs

[St Anna]

Send us some pics Thom.
From the side and why it is difficult to move about. Other options may be to increase the entry/exit etc.

[chrisncate]

Originally Posted by sailorthom

I estimate the dodger at 50 to 75 lbs

Yea, that's heavy enough to change the center of gravity at three feet higher for sure. Did the boat builder build the dodger for the boat originally?

[rgscpat]

Another question might be windage in heavier conditions.

[Omatako]

Will the dodger still look great when its three feet taller?

Not a flippant question - I have an enclosure made up of a bimini and clears all round and I want to put a hard dodger on. The current enclosure looks OK because it is so obviously "temporary".

But I have spent a considerable amount of time modelling hard dodgers on a 3D software package and I can't get to anything that will give me the free access I want without looking really ugly.

[chrisncate]

Originally Posted by rgscpat

Another question might be windage in heavier conditions.

For sure, the added windage coupled with the heightened center of gravity, the lightweight aluminum hull... I don't know. Three feet higher might be ambitious from a weather perspective. Top heavy and rolly seems possible.

Seems like a soft dodger made with a lightweight aluminum frame with a Stamoid type material with removable (zippered) eisenglass panels might work. Something lightweight with removable panels, removable quickly and completely for storms with a foldable frame.

I'd like to see a pic of the current dodger..

[chrisncate]

Originally Posted by Omatako

Will the dodger still look great when its three feet taller?

Not a flippant question - I have an enclosure made up of a bimini and clears all round and I want to put a hard dodger on. The current enclosure looks OK because it is so obviously "temporary".

But I have spent a considerable amount of time modelling hard dodgers on a 3D software package and I can't get to anything that will give me the free access I want without looking really ugly.

Yea, the taller you go, the longer you have to go to keep it looking right to the eye.

[TheWhiteRabbit]

Originally Posted by St Anna

Send us some pics Thom.

Originally Posted by chrisncate

I'd like to see a pic of the current dodger..

+1 on that! not that i have anything useful to add...just wanna see the bad-boy!